Teachers
School Principal
Miriam Riseborough gained a scholarship to train at Bush Davies School,East Grinstead from the age of 11 and continued her training at Central School of Ballet.
After successfully completing her training Miriam is now an R.A.D Examiner and is one of only four in the UK to be appointed to the Panel of Examiners of the Royal Academy of Dance.
The school has successfully had students gain places at many prestigious ballet schools in the UK in addition to mentoring students who have gone on to become Royal Academy of Dance registered teachers.
Our Founder
The school was founded over 20 years ago by the late Maria Del Carmen Barinowsky who trained at Hammond. Maria devoted her career to teaching and inspiring a love of ballet in young people in South Wales. After deciding that she would lessen her work load and teach only in Cardiff, the school was subsequently passed to her former pupil Miriam Riseborough [the present Principal] in the knowledge that the school she had nurtured would be in capable hands.
Michelle Harrison BA (Hons), LRAD, ARAD, RTS
Teacher
Michelle is a classically trained ballet dancer and RAD teacher, who has a BA Honours degree in Ballet Education. She is a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Dance and has achieved her Advanced 2 vocational ballet examination. She started learning ballet at the age of five here in Bedwas Workman’s Hall with the school’s founder Maria Barinowsky and later it’s current principal Miriam Riseborough, then moved to London at the age of sixteen to be vocationally trained in professional dance at Central School of Ballet. She was a junior and mid-associate with The Royal Ballet for 5 years, with London Junior Ballet for 2 years and attended several renowned ballet and contemporary summer schools. She has taught ballet in Canada’s capital city Ottawa; winning awards at top North American dance competitions and staging theatre shows, and is now based in South Wales teaching at various ballet schools and fitness centres in the area. Please visit www.facebook.com/michelleballetclasses for more info.
Teacher
Victoria is a classically trained ballet dancer and RAD teacher, who has achieved her Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies. She started learning ballet at the age of four in Bedwas Workman’s Hall, at the Maria Barinowsky School of Ballet, with the school’s founder Maria Barinowsky and later its current principal Miriam Riseborough. Once achieving her Intermediate vocational ballet examination, she then went on to continue her vocational training at the New Dance School in Penarth. She is currently working towards achieving her Advanced 2 vocational ballet examination so that she can then apply for ARAD status. Victoria has also trained in ISTD Modern to Intermediate vocational level and is a qualified DDMIX dance fitness instructor. Victoria teaches at other schools in South Wales and to date all schools she has taught for have students achieving a 100% pass rate. Her achievements include performing in the Patrons Parade for Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday celebration alongside other RAD faculty members and the RAD President Dame Darcey Bussell. She has also been honoured to host a DDMIX MAXIT with Dame Darcey Bussell and is now a member of the DDMIX team assisting with the DDMIX for Schools programme.
Choreographer and Guest Teacher
Miss Clare known as “Bricey” is a graduate of Millenium Performing Arts, London (Musical Theatre). She also gained a BA (Hons) Performing Arts at Nottingham Trent University. She has worked as a professional dancer, actor and choreographer. Work includes “Murder in The Cathedral”, “Twelth Night”, “London Palladium’s Night of 100 Stars”, “Norma Jeane The Musical”, numerous pantomimes (including The New Theatre Cardiff), national and international tours, television, adverts and films.
Choreographer and Guest Teacher
Fergus trained at the Royal Ballet School, White Lodge and completed his full-time training at Central School of Ballet. He danced with Northern Ballet Theatre performing all soloist and principal roles until moving into the world of musical theatre. Fergus played the role of Mr Mistoffolees in Cats both in the UK tour and in London’s West End. He has performed in the National Theatre’s production of Oklahoma! and in Fosse in the West End. Fergus has been the Resident Director/Choreographer on various West End shows including My Fair Lady – National Theatre and Drury Lane, Contact at the Queens Theatre and Cats – UK Tour, Portugal and Italy as well as helping to stage Cats in the Netherlands and Germany. Fergus has also worked in the US overseeing and restaging My Fair Lady and Contact. He has also worked as Assistant Choreographer to Susan Stroman on her ballet Double Feature for New York City Ballet. Fergus has taught in many of the countries leading ballet and theatre training institutions including Central School of Ballet, Laine Theatre Arts and Arts Educational and has also designed and developed degree courses in dance and musical theatre.